UN launches 1.7 billion U.S dollars humanitarian response plans for South Sudan
By Oketayot Santo
The Humanitarian Community in South Sudan on Monday launched the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), reflecting an appeal for 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to provide life-saving assistance to 5.4 million people experiencing the most acute needs across the country.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan said in 2025, 9.3 million people or 69 percent of South Sudan’s total population of 13.4 million are projected to require some form of humanitarian assistance out of which humanitarian partners will target 5.4 million vulnerable people facing the most acute needs with life-saving services.
She said the humanitarian situation in South Sudan has been compounded by the conflict in Sudan that has forced about 900,000 to flee to South Sudan since the war broke out last year, a climate crisis that affected 1.4 million people and that the food security projections state that South Sudan will continue to experience severe food insecurity in 2025, a rise from 6.3 million people to 7.7 million who are food insecure is projected for next year.
“The 2025 HNRP is an accurate picture of the most acute needs of vulnerable people across the country and an assistance plan that is principled, realistic, and most importantly, lifesaving. Based on a rigorous process, including wide consultations with affected communities and their priorities, the 2025 HNRP prioritizes counties with the highest severity of needs” Kiki said in Juba.
She said the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan was about 64 percent funded in and as a result, the humanitarian community were able to reach 4.2 million women, men, boys and girls with different forms of critical assistance, including food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, camp coordination, camp management, education, shelter, non-food items and protection services.
Albino Akol Atak, the South Sudanese Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management said although the government is making efforts along with the humanitarian partners, the humanitarian situation in the country remains dire compounded by the Sudan crisis.
He assured that the government will continue to collaborate with humanitarian partners to ensure aid delivery to most needy South Sudanese communities.
“Collaboration will continue in 2025 not only to bring relief to people affected by the crisis but also to support durable solutions and build their resilience by investing in the provision of basic services and livelihood opportunities to enable them to graduate from humanitarian assistance,” Akol said
South Sudanese people continue to be affected by high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released in November, 6.4 million people are severely food-insecure at crisis levels or worse (IPC Phase 3+).
The number is projected to increase to 7.7 million or over 57 percent of the country’s total population during the lean season from April to July 2025 and nutrition projections estimate 2.08 million children under age 5 at risk of acute malnutrition and 650,000 children under age 5 at risk of severe acute malnutrition in 2025
